# TOM October HH Matured Virginia



## kheffelf (Jul 31, 2006)

Put your reviews here for the tobacco of the month.


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## IHT (Dec 27, 2003)

i'm interested to hear how this smokes.
if anyone in the KC area has any, or wants to split a tin, let me know.


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## kheffelf (Jul 31, 2006)

IHT said:


> i'm interested to hear how this smokes.
> if anyone in the KC area has any, or wants to split a tin, let me know.


You already have some.


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## IHT (Dec 27, 2003)

kheffelf said:


> You already have some.


yep, i just found that out, kyle. when i opened the box, i laughed about the comments i made in post #2.

so, let me rephrase: if anyone close by doesn't have any, and wants to try a bowl with the stipulation that you WILL write a review, i'll share a couple with you. 
thanks, kyle.


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## EvanS (Dec 29, 2006)

alright here goes...I didn't vote for this but but a review, or at least some notes, are coming anyway. This after completing a 100g tin and now finally polishing off the sampler pouch as well.

The smell in the tin is promising, mild VA, sweet and a little fruit-like with a touch of "darkness" here and there. Nice rubbed out blonde and what looks like stoved VA strands. Moisture in the tin was probably smokable but I still allowed the first few bowls to dry for 15 minutes or so anyway. The cut was realtively fine and required no additional rubbing to be perfectly packable.

On to the smoke - To me this is a VERY light VA. My first couple of bowls were smoked in a straight-VA-only briar that had seen it's last few bowls full of Old Gowrie. And thru the first 2 bowls of the MacB my thoughts were "this Old Gowrie tastes great with that hint of sweetness from the MacB". I virtually couldn't taste it. So I cleaned the pipe completely and started over, as well as had a few bowls in a new cob. A-HA, there's the flavor...such as it is. Very light, sweet and slightly tangy VA, period. Slightest hint of pear maybe? But there is my issue - the flavor was actually pretty good, there just wasn't much of it IMO. And the flavor I got consistently was the same from 2nd light thru to dumping of the ash, with no change.

The pack, light, burn, tamp and ash on this tobacco was always easy to deal with and very consistent, bowl after bowl. So no complaints there...it always burned down to nothing a never even hinted at biting or burning hot during normal smoking. The few times that I tried to overpuff to coax additional flavor it still didn't change much.

In short I found this to be a great tobacco to deal with, that actually had a pretty nice even tempered flavor. But there just wasn't enough of what flavor it did have, let alone any complexity, to hold my interest. But if you are in the market for a mild, slightly sweet and easy to deal with VA this could very well be at the top of someone's list.

Feel free to suspect my lack of tasebuds and palate, or maybe this just isn't my style.


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## dogsplayinpoker (Jan 23, 2007)

Maybe I was expecting a big, full Va but I came away from this disappointed. The packing and smoking of HH was easy but that was it. No real taste to it. Maybe the pouch I got was a little dry. This blend seems like it would actually smoke much better moist. I love virginias and va/per's so maybe the lack of perique is what my tastebuds were missing. Would be a good blend for the beginner just trying virginia tobaccos and maybe cigarette smokers trying to move on to a healthier habit.

Just my :2


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## DubintheDam (Jun 5, 2007)

I do like a nice mild VA in the morning, I was thinking of this as a possible subsidtute for long time favorite - Pete's Sherlock Holmes, which is mild. MacB's are also good value here. However reading these reviews I think it will go to the end of a long waiting list. HH Vintage Syrian first me thinks.

:tu thanks for the review.


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## IHT (Dec 27, 2003)

i have had 1 bowl so far. i didn't find it as boring as some, and actually found it to be quite complex. there's a little of that smokey sweetness in the far background, similar to mccranies red ribbon. 

and like most macbaren Va's, this puppy will bite you back if you don't take your time puffing on it.

DO NOT SMOKE AT THIS PACE ---> p BAD DOG!

i'll do more some other time. might have to take it to the KC herf for others to try as well.


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## smokehouse (Jan 31, 2007)

Like IHT I found this to not as boring as some. I thought it had a good amount of flavor. The smokeyness in the background was a nice touch. I smoked this stuff pretty hard and did not get bit. It tasted different than any other straight VA's I have had. Like it was topped with something. Maybe it was just me and my noobness.
I would buy more.


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## IHT (Dec 27, 2003)

is this really a Virginia at all? it's not my cup o' tea, but it's not bad. it's not boring. it's smokey, and the finish, which reminded me a tiny bit of the aroma you get from an old bicycle tire... 

i dunno... i'm not one to judge how something will age, like drill and cuban cigars... it's got its own character, that's for sure. i'm just not sure it would be an actor in my play. 
if i were to type-cast it, it would play the role of smokey, sweet, could be flavored, tobacco that never has a punch line.


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## fireman43 (Oct 15, 2006)

I've only had one bowl of this so far, but I found it somewhat lacking in the flavor department. Very much a newbs opinion though, and my pallate is lacking. It was decent though, when I could taste it. Might smoke another bowl tomorrow and see if I come up with something different.


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## IHT (Dec 27, 2003)

hope nobody takes my comments wrong. i just don't like it, but others may really love that flavor. it's a smokey/sweet flavor, but not like a VA i've ever had.
take it from someone who loved Bracken Flake, this HH Mature VA may be for you and not for me.


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## rehbas21 (Aug 8, 2007)

Ive finished off the sample Greg sent me, and as promised I will try to give a review. Having only started on a pipe 3 weeks ago I am not able to pick out any real flavors yet. When I opened the bag it had a slight sweet smell to it, the packing went well using the 3 layer method, everything lit up great and continued to burn well throughout. As far as flavor goes I couldn't really taste a whole lot, maybe a very slight citrus taste to it? And that was only at times. I am still getting used to pipe smoking and I don't think this was a fair review for this tobacco.

In short I think the blend was okay at best for me, I don't see myself picking up another tin any time soon. By this time I know most of you are rolling on the floor haha so I'll leave it at that, a mild Va, just not for me.

IHT - hey, nobody has to impress me. we do reviews for others to know what we thought, doesn't have to be flowery or have big words. great job, ryan.


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## fireman43 (Oct 15, 2006)

Smoked another bowl this morning, and I must conclude that my first impression stands. It was decent when I could taste it, but that that was less often than not. I think it would be good for a new smoker wanting to ease into VA's, but for me being a cigarette, cigar, and now pipe smoker my taste buds aren't what they used to be. Nothing bad to say about it other than that as it packed and lit great, had a decent burn, etc. Just didn't have enough taste for me.


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## ultramag (Aug 23, 2007)

I don't really have a bunch to add here, but since IHT hooked me up w/ a sample at the KC herf I am on my honor to review. This is only the 3rd or 4th VA I have smoked so I don't have alot to compare it with. That being said, I agree w/ it being a pretty mild Va with not alot of flavor. On the upside, for a newb to pipes it gives a peek into the Va realm without the tongue bite it seems so easy to get with Va's when your new and still want to smoke too quick/hot.


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## dayplanner (Dec 11, 1997)

Had a bowl of this today at the B&M. It was the first Virginia I have smoked. I enjoyed it, but it seemed fairly light....of course this is coming from a cigar smoker experimenting with pipe smoking.


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